“Strings of Grace”

Sunday, October 13, 2024

$10 Dinner @ 5 | Free Concert @ 6

Call Church for Meal Tickets

A free community concert by professional violinist, cellist, and pianist, featuring original arrangements of hymns. Menu: Shrimp & Grits, Sweet & Salty Salad, Bread, & Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding.

3615 Reinhardt College Pkwy. Canton, GA 30114 770-479-9415 jbishop@heritagecanton.com

Violinist Ruslan Apostolov graduated from the National Music School “Lubomir Pipkov” and the National Music Academy “Pancho Vladigerov” in his native Sofia, Bulgaria, where he studied violin with the renown Prof. Yosiff Radionov. He is also a violin graduate of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London. Ruslan continued his violin studies towards “Master of Interpretation” and “Master Soloist” degrees at Haute Ecole de Musique – Lausanne (Switzerland) in the class of Prof. Sergiu Schwartz, “Artist Diploma” at Schwob School of Music - Columbus State University (USA) in the class of Prof.Sergiu Schwartz. Amongst professors Ruslan has studied are Mincho Minchev (Germany), Bartek Niziol (Switzerland), Gerhard Shultz (Wiena - Austria) and others. Ruslan has been concertmaster of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra - Sofia (Bulgaria), concertmaster and soloist of the Academic Orchestra Sofia (Bulgaria), soloist of Lausanne Chamber Orchestra (Switzerland), concertmaster and soloist of the string chamber orchestra "Orfey" (Bulgaria), soloist of the Sliven Symhony Orchestra (Bulgaria), soloist of Razgrad Symphony (Bulgaria), soloist of Vidin Symphony orchestra(Bulgaria), Soloist of Columbus State Symphony orchestra. He has recorded for the Bulgarian National Radio and Bulgarian National Television and has participated in the International Music Festival "Sofia Music Weeks" and in chamber music projects between Konservatorium Privatuniversität Wien (Wienna), Royal Conservatory of Liege (Belgium), Haute Ecole de Music de Lausanne (Switzerland). Ruslan Apostolov is a winner of national and international competitions, including “Musica Insieme” (Italy) – first prize; Winner of Schwob concerto competition, international competition “Prof. Nedyalka Simeonova” (Bulgaria) - special prizes; international competition “Hope. Talents. Masters” (Bulgaria) - first prize; international competition “Vasko Abadjiev” (Bulgaria) – special prize, and others. He has attended master classes with professors Mincho Minchev, Eszter Haffner, Emil Kamilarov, Dina Schneiderman, Georgy Pauk, Bartolomej Niziol, Pavel Vernikov, Gerhard Shulz, and Donk Suk Kang. Recently Mr. Apostolov has been listed in the prestigious Who's Who in America as the director of Koart Academy of Music at First Baptist Church - Columbus,GA. Ruslan has performed in Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, France, Italy, Austria, England, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and the United States.

Cellist Ina Petkova-Apostolova began her professional musical education at the age of 6 in her native country of Bulgaria. With 13 years she won her first prize from an international competition “Young musical talents”-Sofia. Ina Apostolova graduated the National High School of Music in Sofia (Bulgaria) and continued her bachelor and master studies at the Vienna Conservatory Private University (Austria) with Walther Schulz and Lilia Schulz-Bayrova. She studied as well at “Concervatoire a rayonnement deparemental”- L’hay les roses – Paris with Romain Garioud. Master of Interpretation with cello at Haute Ecole de Musique – Lausanne (Switzerland) with Xavier Phillips. Artist Diploma program at Schwob School of Music - Columbus (USA) with Wendy Warner. Ina Apostolova participated in master classes of: Heinrich Schiff, Young Chang Cho, Marc Coppey, Stefan Popov, Ventseslav Nikolov, Marko Ylönen and others. Ina won several 1st prizes on international and national competitions. She was selected as principal cellist in orchestras as: Young Philharmonic Sofia (Bulgaria), Young Philharmonic Vienna (Austria), Sinfonietta Sofia (Bulgaria) and Sinfonietta dell’Arte (Austria). Since 2009 Ina Petkova is a member of the chamber music ensemble “Trio Consenso Vienna” (Wienna- Austria). Recently she performed as soloist with Radio Symphony Orchestra-Vienna in the big hall of Konzerhaus (Vienna/Austria). She has performed on the stages in Bulgaria, Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Switzerland, France,Canada and the Unated States.

Pianist Nancy McKee was born and raised in Columbus, Georgia. After completing her Bachelor’s (Columbus State University) and Master’s (Converse College School of Music) degrees in Piano Performance, Nancy enjoyed her career as a teacher and performer. Since the age of 15, she has offered her talent to God as a church musician. Most recently, she released a cd of piano trio arrangements she wrote during the Covid pandemic. She enjoys performing and trying to express beauty in her music. Nancy is married to Pat McKee, and became a mother-in-law twice this past summer. She looks forward to her next role as a grandmother in May. God bless you as you listen.